RK 24 loader forks.

[Ohio RK24]

I have a question that I am hopping one of you may answer it is as follows, when my loader is raised off the ground and I turn off the tractor within 20 or so minutes the forks begin to gradually dip towards the ground it appears to be the forks and not the boom valves, my question therefore is this condition normal due to the fact that the tractor is not actively circulating fluid which causes a static reduction of the fluid over time.
Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Diggin It]

If you mean clamp on forks out in front of the FEL bucket, keep in mind they're adding weight and that alone will help tilt the bucket simply due to leverage.

Best practice is to put all attachments (front and rear) on the ground before walking away from the machine.

 

[Ohio RK24]

No sir what I have are the quick attach forks (36") purchased with the tractor however I think your point is goes to what I was asking in that the forks with their increased weight over the bucket as well as their added length cause this condition and may be normal.
Thank you for the help and advice.

 

[Ford850]

It's normal for tractor valves to leak down, some more than others. This goes for all brands. As Diggin It said above, the added leverage of the forks, or any load for that matter, will speed up the leak down.

 

[Ohio RK24]

It's normal for tractor valves to leak down, some more than others. This goes for all brands. As Diggin It said above, the added leverage of the forks, or any load for that matter, will speed up the leak down.

Thanks for the help it's nice to folks such as yourself to help out when I need it, being new to tractor ownership leaves me with plenty to learn, it so helpful to have the tractor to work around the property, Being able to do things that would have been so labor intensive and time consuming quickly makes for a much more productive day and when you add to that learning to work on the tractor myself it is well worth the money.
My thanks to you and all those whom help we newbies with your knowledge and time, it's a great community to be part of.

 

[snymat68]

Common occurrence on tractors. What's happening is the internal seal in the hydraulic cylinders aren't a perfect seal. Whether the tractor is running or not, if you aren't actuating the valve, the oil is static in the cylinders. If there is an outside force acting on the cylinders (weight of bucket or forks pulling down) the cylinders will slowly "creep" as a small amount of fluid leaks past the internal seal, letting the cylinder slowly extend. The more weight/torque, the faster this "leak down" happens.

 

[brianevans]

Always safer to lower any hydraulically operated equipment before walking away from the machine, or use cylinder stops. Couple days ago I was at the farm and dad pulled the combine in for the night. He got out, walked away, and then walked back to the header and I heard a bang. He had forgotten to drop the cylinder stops before walking away, which was important since he had the corn head parked over the bean platform. Probably wouldn't have leaked down, but a little prevention goes a long way.

 

[Qapla]

This leakdown is one of the reasons most backhoes have some sort of fastening device to prevent them from dropping while not being used.

 

[Ohio RK24]

You guy's are the best bunch of folk's and it is very appreciated, you have been of much help to me and I am sure others whom find their way here in search of learning and support.
Thank you all for your responses to my question and forgive me for not responding to each individually, you are a resource that I am impressed with and thankful to have found.
Have a great evening.

 

[markie61]

I am sure others whom find their way here in search of learning and support.

I found these forums about 20 years ago when researching my first tractor. It was useful to hear the opinions and experiences of folks who trod where I was about to tread. Unlike the brands' official websites, you hear from real folks who have invested their very real dollars into very expensive hardware that they intend to keep for decades. Like you, I am very grateful for those so generous with their time. I hope you will share your time and "give back", being generous with your experiences so other can learn from you.
The RK experience has been unique, however - the brand officially participates in the RK forums (time permitting), even to a point where those in top management gave us direct contact information. I haven't seen that kind of direct brand communication in other forums - and, if they do and I missed it, then that too is another very lucky group of tractor owners.